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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 58

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 58

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 58

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 58 of the classical Mahābhārata with 31 verses.

Total: 31 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.58.1–31 • 250 Lexicon Terms
एतत्ते राजधर्माणां नवनीतं युधिष्ठिर । बृहस्पतिर्हि भगवान्नान्यं धर्मं प्रशंसति ॥
English Translation
'Protection of the subjects, O Yudhishthira, is the quintessence of duties. the divine Brihaspati does not speak so highly of any other duty.
विशालाक्षश्च भगवान्काव्यश्चैव महातपाः । सहस्राक्षो महेन्द्रश्च तथा प्राचेतसो मनुः ॥
English Translation
The divine Kavi (Ushanas) of large eyes and austere penances, the thousand-eyed Indra, and Manu, the son of Prachetas, the divine Bharadwaja, and the sage Gaurasiras all devoted to Brahma and utterers of Brahma, have composed works on the duties of kings.
भरद्वाजश्च भगवांस्तथा गौरशिरा मुनिः । राजशास्त्रप्रणेतारो ब्रह्मण्या ब्रह्मवादिनः ॥
English Translation
The divine Kavi (Ushanas) of large eyes and austere penances, the thousand-eyed Indra, and Manu, the son of Prachetas, the divine Bharadwaja, and the sage Gaurasiras all devoted to Brahma and utterers of Brahma, have composed works on the duties of kings.
रक्षामेव प्रशंसन्ति धर्मं धर्मभृतां वर । राज्ञां राजीवताम्राक्ष साधनं चात्र वै शृणु ॥
English Translation
All of them speak highly of the duty of protection, O foremost of virtuous persons regarding the kings. O you having eyes like lotus petals and copper-coloured, listen to the means by which protection may be obtained.
चारश्च प्रणिधिश्चैव काले दानममत्सरः । युक्त्यादानं न चादानमयोगेन युधिष्ठिर ॥
सतां संग्रहणं शौर्यं दाक्ष्यं सत्यं प्रजाहितम् । अनार्जवैरार्जवैश्च शत्रुपक्षस्य भेदनम् ॥
साधूनामपरित्यागः कुलीनानां च धारणम् । निचयश्च निचेयानां सेवा बुद्धिमतामपि ॥
बलानां हर्षणं नित्यं प्रजानामन्ववेक्षणम् । कार्येष्वखेदः कोशस्य तथैव च विवर्धनम् ॥
पुरगुप्तिरविश्वासः पौरसंघातभेदनम् । केतनानां च जीर्णानामवेक्षा चैव सीदताम् ॥
द्विविधस्य च दण्डस्य प्रयोगः कालचोदितः । अरिमध्यस्थमित्राणां यथावच्चान्ववेक्षणम् ॥
उपजापश्च भृत्यानामात्मनः परदर्शनात् । अविश्वासः स्वयं चैव परस्याश्वासनं तथा ॥
नीतिधर्मानुसरणं नित्यमुत्थानमेव च । रिपूणामनवज्ञानं नित्यं चानार्यवर्जनम् ॥
उत्थानं हि नरेन्द्राणां बृहस्पतिरभाषत । राजधर्मस्य यन्मूलं श्लोकांश्चात्र निबोध मे ॥
English Translation
Readiness for action in kings is the root of royal duties. This has been said by Brihaspati. Listen to the verses recited by him.
उत्थानेनामृतं लब्धमुत्थानेनासुरा हताः । उत्थानेन महेन्द्रेण श्रैष्ठ्यं प्राप्तं दिवीह च ॥
English Translation
By exertion the ambrosia was obtained; by exertion the Asuras were killed; by exertion Indra himself acquired sovereignty in heaven and on earth.
उत्थानधीरः पुरुषो वाग्धीरानधितिष्ठति । उत्थानधीरं वाग्धीरा रमयन्त उपासते ॥
English Translation
The hero who works is superior to one who speaks. The heroes who speak, gratify and worship the heroes who work.
उत्थानहीनो राजा हि बुद्धिमानपि नित्यशः । धर्षणीयो रिपूणां स्याद्भुजंग इव निर्विषः ॥
English Translation
The king, who is shorn of exertion, even if endued with intelligence, is always defeated by foes like a snake that is shorn of poison.
न च शत्रुरवज्ञेयो दुर्बलोऽपि बलीयसा । अल्पोऽपि हि दहत्यग्निर्विषमल्पं हिनस्ति च ॥
English Translation
The king, even if very powerful, should not neglect a foe however weak. A scintillation of fire can produce a conflagration and a particle of Poison can kill.
एकाश्वेनापि संभूतः शत्रुर्दुर्गसमाश्रितः । तं तं तापयते देशमपि राज्ञः समृद्धिनः ॥
English Translation
With only one kind of force, an enemy, from within a fort, can assail the whole country of even a powerful and prosperous king.
राज्ञो रहस्यं यद्वाक्यं जयार्थं लोकसंग्रहः । हृदि यच्चास्य जिह्मं स्यात्कारणार्थं च यद्भवेत् ॥
English Translation
The secret speeches of a king, the collecting of troops for the purposes of victory, the wily purposes in his heart, desires for accomplishing particular objects, and the wrong acts he does or intends to do, should be concealed by assuming a bold appearance. He should act righteously for keeping his people under control.
यच्चास्य कार्यं वृजिनमार्जवेनैव धार्यते । दम्भनार्थाय लोकस्य धर्मिष्ठामाचरेत्क्रियाम् ॥
राज्यं हि सुमहत्तन्त्रं दुर्धार्यमकृतात्मभिः । न शक्यं मृदुना वोढुमाघातस्थानमुत्तमम् ॥
English Translation
Wily persons can not govern an extensive empire, A king who is mild cannot acquire superior rank the acquisition of which depends upon exertion.
राज्यं सर्वामिषं नित्यमार्जवेनेह धार्यते । तस्मान्मिश्रेण सततं वर्तितव्यं युधिष्ठिर ॥
English Translation
A kingdom, which is sought for by all like meat can never be protected by candour and simplicity. A king, O Yudhishthira, should, therefore, always resort to both candour and wiliness.
यद्यप्यस्य विपत्तिः स्याद्रक्षमाणस्य वै प्रजाः । सोऽप्यस्य विपुलो धर्म एवंवृत्ता हि भूमिपाः ॥
English Translation
Even while protecting his subjects a king is beset with danger, he earns great merit. Such should be the conduct of kings.
एष ते राजधर्माणां लेशः समनुवर्णितः । भूयस्ते यत्र संदेहस्तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर ॥
English Translation
I have now told you a part only of the duties of kings. Tell me, O best of Kurus, what more you wish to know.
ततो व्यासश्च भगवान्देवस्थानोऽश्मना सह । वासुदेवः कृपश्चैव सात्यकिः संजयस्तथा ॥
साधु साध्विति संहृष्टाः पुष्यमाणैरिवाननैः । अस्तुवंस्ते नरव्याघ्रं भीष्मं धर्मभृतां वरम् ॥
English Translation
Vaishampayana said The illustrious Vyasa, Devasthana, Ashva, Vasudeva, Kripa, Satyaki and Sanjaya, filled with joy, and with faces resembling full-blown flowers, said,-Excellent! Excellent!' and sang the praises of that best of men, viz., Bhishma, that foremost of virtuous persons.
ततो दीनमना भीष्ममुवाच कुरुसत्तमः । नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यां पादौ तस्य शनैः स्पृशन् ॥
English Translation
Then Yudhishthira, that chief of Kuru's race, with a depressed heart and eyes bathed in tears, gently touched Bhishma's feet and said,—'O grandsire, I shall tomorrow enquire after those points about which I have my doubts, for today the sun, having sucked the moisture of the earth, is about to set.
श्व इदानीं स्वसंदेहं प्रक्ष्यामि त्वा पितामह । उपैति सविताप्यस्तं रसमापीय पार्थिवम् ॥
English Translation
Then Yudhishthira, that chief of Kuru's race, with a depressed heart and eyes bathed in tears, gently touched Bhishma's feet and said,—'O grandsire, I shall tomorrow enquire after those points about which I have my doubts, for today the sun, having sucked the moisture of the earth, is about to set.
ततो द्विजातीनभिवाद्य केशवः; कृपश्च ते चैव युधिष्ठिरादयः । प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य महानदीसुतं; ततो रथानारुरुहुर्मुदा युताः ॥
English Translation
Then Keshava, Kripa, Yudhishthira and others, saluting the Brahmanas and circumambulating Bhishma, gladly got on their cars.
दृषद्वतीं चाप्यवगाह्य सुव्रताः; कृतोदकार्याः कृतजप्यमङ्गलाः । उपास्य संध्यां विधिवत्परंतपा;स्ततः पुरं ते विविशुर्गजाह्वयम् ॥
English Translation
All of them, observant of excellent vows, then bathed in the river Drishadvati-Having offered oblations of water to their departed manes and silently recited the sacred mantras and performed other auspicious rites, and having adored the evening twilight with due rites, those scorchers of enemies entered the city of Hastinapur.
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